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Buslines Group
Dubbo BuslinesBustechbodiedMercedes-Benz OC 500 LEin August 2013
ParentFrank D'Apuzzo
Peter Simpson
Commenced operation1926
HeadquartersBurwood
Service areaNew South Wales
Service typeBus operator
Depots13
Fleet401 (October 2019)
OperatorBallinaBuslines
BathurstBuslines
BerrimaBuslines
DubboBuslines
ForsterBuslines
GriffithBuslines
LithgowBuslines
Northern RiversBuslines
OrangeBuslines
TamworthBuslines
UlladullaBuslines
WinghamBuslines
Rover Coaches
Websitewww.buslinesgroup.com.au

TheBuslines Groupis an Australian bus operator inNew South Walesand is the third largest private bus operator inNew South Wales.

History

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John A Gilbert Group

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The John A Gilbert group was founded in March 1926 by John A Gilbert as Reo Motors, being renamed in 1951.[1]Initially a motor dealer, in 1941 it diversified into operating bus services. Its first operation was inParkesfollowed byBathurst,Dubbo,Goulburn,Mittagong,OrangeandTamworth.It also operated services inSydneywith suburban companies inBronte,RamsgateandMatraville.Most of these were sold over the years, with only Mittagong, Orange and Tamworth remaining by 1980.[2][3][4]From 1954 until 1982 it was listed on theSydney Stock Exchange.[5]

In November 1988, theLismorebased business of Kirklands Omnibus Services was purchased taking the fleet to 250 vehicles.[6]In October 1992 Sydney operatorShorelinkwas purchased.[7]

In March 1996, John A Gilbert sold its remaining bus operations to Frank D'Apuzzo and Peter Simpson.[8][9]In March 2000PictonOmnibus Service was purchased.[4]In September 2001, Shorelink was sold toTransdev.[10][11]

Buslines brand

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From 2004 the Buslines brand was rolled out across all operations. In June 2006, Ritchies Bus Service,Griffithwas purchased, followed by Perrett's Coach Service,Werris Creekin April 2008 and Selwood Coaches, Orange in December 2009, these latter two being integrated into the Tamworth, Orange and Dubbo operations.[4]

In April 2012, the business of Jones Brothers,Lithgowand Bathurst was purchased, the latter having previously been part of the group until sold in 1977.[4][12]

In October 2015, theForster Bus ServiceandWinghamCoaches businesses were purchased with 41 buses.[13]

On 3 December 2018, Ulladulla Bus Lines was acquired with the name changing to Ulladula Buslines[14][15]

Buslines co-owner Peter Simpson died in May 2020.[16]

Current operations

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Ballina Buslines / Northern Rivers Buslines

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In 1939, Clarrie and Jim Kirkland purchased two bus runs inEvans Head.[17]Trading as Kirkland Bros, further operations would be purchased in theNorthern Riversregion. In January 1970, the business of New England Motor Company which operated long-distance services fromLismoretoBrisbane,TenterfieldandGrafton.By this stage, the fleet stood at 45.[6][18][19]

In November 1974, a service commenced fromBallinatoSydney.[20]It was later extended toBrisbane.In 1986, the business was sold to Waugh & Josephson which in turn was sold toBond Corporationin 1987. Kirkland Bros was sold to John A Gilbert in 1988. As at August 1989, the fleet comprised 111 buses and coaches.[6]

In June 1996, the Brisbane to Sydney services were sold toPremier Motor Service[21][22]who in April 2008, also purchased the Lismore to Brisbane service.[23]In the 2000s, the Kirklands name was dropped with the business split into Ballina Buslines and Northern Rivers Buslines.

In June 2019 route 650 of Wallers Buslines toNimbinwas taken over and incorporated in Northern River Buslines.[24]

Bathurst Buslines

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Having been owned by John A Gilbert until sold to Warren Bremner in June 1977, the Buslines Group purchased theBathurstbusiness from Jones Bros in April 2012.[25][26]

Berrima Buslines

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TheBerrimabusiness is the depot with the highest quantity of buses.

Dubbo Buslines

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Having earlier sold the business, in July 1985 John A Gilbert purchased theDubbobusiness from the Stonestreet family.[27]

Forster Buslines

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Forster Bus Servicewas purchased on 1 October 2015 from the Deane family and rebranded Forster Buslines.[13]

Griffith Buslines

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Ritchies Bus Service was founded by Jock Ritchie inGriffithin March 1937, being taken over by son John in 1958.[28]It was sold to Buslines Group on 1 October 2006 and rebranded Griffith Buslines.

Lithgow Buslines

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Established in 1922 by Lewis and Maurice Jones, Jones Bros,Lithgowwas purchased by the Buslines Group in April 2012.[29]

Orange Buslines

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In 1946, theOrangebusiness was purchased from John Foley with eight buses, withFoley's Bus Servicepurchasing route 32Kogarah stationtoRamsgatein return.[30]

Tamworth Buslines

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Tamworth BuslinesBustechbodiedVolvo B7R

TheTamworthbusiness was acquired in December 1943 from Herbert Smith.[31]Tamworth was the first depot to be operated by John A Gilbert, and the starting ground for bus operations. On 14 April 2008, Perrett's Coach Service ofWerris Creekwas purchased in April 2008 with 15 vehicles.[32]

Ulladulla Buslines

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Ulladulla Bus Lines was established inUlladullaby John Owens, being sold in 1969 to David Bray with five buses.[33]It was purchased by Buslines Australia on 3 December 2018 with 17 vehicles.[14][15][34]

Wingham Buslines

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Wingham Coaches was purchased on 1 October 2015 from the Deane family and rebranded Wingham Buslines.[13]

Rover Coaches

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Buslines purchasedRover Coachesin December 2022.[35][36]The Rover name will be retained.

Fleet

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As at October 2019, the fleet consisted of 401 buses.[4]

Livery

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Up until the mid-1980s the John A Gilbert fleet were painted white and black. This was then replaced by a white background, and three blue stripes going from dark to light. This was then simplified when Buslines Group took over to a single dark blue stripe on a white background.

Former operations

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Sydney bus operations

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In 1956 John A Gilbert sold route 81 in Sydney fromFairfieldtoCabramattato Katen & Heath.[37]

Picton Buslines

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The Picton business was purchased on 29 March 2000 from George Lee (Picton Omnibus Service) acquiring 23 vehicles. Picton Buslines left the Buslines Group in September 2021 after its ownership was passed to the Ferris family.[16]The business now operates as an independent entity with the same name but a different logo.

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In October 1992 Sydney operatorShorelinkwas purchased.[38]In September 2001 it was sold toTransdev.[10][39]

Dealerships

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In 1939 John A Gilbert became aGMCdealer. It relinquished its GMC dealership in 1958. It would later become a distributor ofBedford,Isuzu,International,Isuzu,MAN,Mercedes-Benz,NissanandRFWoperating out ofGuildford.[40][41]It closed its dealership in 1999.[42]

It previously ownedHoldencar dealerships inParramattaandWaitara.[9]

References

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  1. ^AdvertisementSydney Morning Herald5 September 1951 page 5
  2. ^A Vision of ServiceTruck & Bus TransportationAugust 1996 pages 82-84
  3. ^About UsBuslines Group
  4. ^abcdeBuslines GroupArchived28 October 2014 at theWayback MachineAustralian Bus Fleet Lists
  5. ^John A Gilbert ends family ownershipAustralasian Bus & CoachApril 1996 page 7
  6. ^abc50 years of Kirkland BrothersFleetlineissue 175 February 1990 pages 19-24
  7. ^ShorelinkAustralian Bus Panoramaissue 8/5 February 1993 page 45
  8. ^Major Bus Fleet SaleAustralian Bus Panoramaissue 11/9 June 1996 page 28
  9. ^abThe Baird's mystery benefactorArchived24 September 2015 at theWayback MachineSydney Morning Herald11 May 2009
  10. ^The Highway BusFleetlineSeptember 1995 page 147
  11. ^Last stop for pioneering Jones BrothersArchived23 December 2014 at theWayback MachineWestern Advocate19 March 2012
  12. ^abcBuslines Group acquires Deane's Mid-North Coast operationsAustralian Busissue 74 March 2016 page 5
  13. ^abUlladulla BuslinesBuslines Group 3 December 2018
  14. ^abWorld NewsBuses Worldwideissue 219 July 2019 page 40
  15. ^ab"Company History".Picton Buslines.Archivedfrom the original on 30 January 2022.Retrieved31 January2022.
  16. ^In the beginningArchived23 June 2019 at theWayback MachineKirklands Buses
  17. ^New England Motor Company LimitedArchived10 June 2015 at theWayback MachineKirkland Buses
  18. ^Kirkland Buses part 2Archived10 June 2015 at theWayback MachineKirklands Buses
  19. ^Kirkland Buses part 3Archived10 June 2015 at theWayback MachineKirklands Buses
  20. ^Kirklands goes to NowraAustralasian Bus & CoachJune 1996 page 15
  21. ^Nowra CoachesAustralian Bus Panoramaissue 12/1 August 1996 page 54
  22. ^Kings Kirklands Takeover Opens RoutesAustralasian Bus & Coach6 March 2008
  23. ^Connecting Nimbin to LismoreArchived24 January 2022 at theWayback MachineNorthern River Buslines 1 June 2019
  24. ^Bus Happenings in BathurstFleetlineissue 138 January 1987 page 4
  25. ^Jones Bros sells to Buslines GroupAustralian Busissue 51 May 2012 page 5
  26. ^Country ServicesFleetlineissue 130 May 1986 page 82
  27. ^40 years of school bus operationTruck & Bus TransportationMarch 1977 pages 30-34
  28. ^Jones Bros of LithgowAustralian Busissue 51 May 2012 pages 30/31
  29. ^"Operators of Renown…Foley's Bus Service, Kogarah"Australian Busissue 55 January 2013 page 10
  30. ^Service-Plus in C&W CityTruck & Bus TransportationNovember 1982 page 60
  31. ^Perrett's Coach Service SaleAustralian Busissue 28 July 2008 page 12
  32. ^Driving Scania's First 4 SeriesAustralasian Bus & CoachSeptember 1998 page 34
  33. ^One Step Ahead: Ulladulla BuslinesAustralasian Bus & Coach28 October 2019
  34. ^"Our History".Rover Coaches.Archivedfrom the original on 20 May 2023.Retrieved21 May2023.
  35. ^"Piper Alderman advises on sale of Rover Coaches".Piper Alderman. 6 December 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 20 May 2023.Retrieved21 May2023.
  36. ^New Bus Routes, Alterations, TransfersTruck & Bus TransportationAugust 1956 page 61
  37. ^ShorelinkAustralian Bus Panoramaissue 8/5 February 1993 page 45
  38. ^Shorelink sold to TransdevTruck & Bus TransportationSeptember 2001 page 6
  39. ^Gilberts take MANAustralasian Bus & CoachApril 1989 page 9
  40. ^Mercedes dealership to GilbertTruck & Bus TransportationJuly 1993 page 137
  41. ^Gilberts relinquish Benz BusesTruck & Bus TransportationOctober 1999 page 78
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